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March 2020 PPM Data – Information for the March 2020 ratings period has been released for Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. Nielsen Audio’s March 2020 survey period covered February 27 – March 25. Managing editor Mike Kinosian (Kinosian@TALKERS.com) provides his “Takeaways” from the PPM-markets below.

Not only is KUT #1 the third month in a row, the University of Texas at Austin-owned public radio news/talk outlet has its third successive spike for a +2.9 and hits double-digits for the first time in its PPM-history (7.4 – 8.9 – 9.5 – 10.3, 6+). Its recent (6+) fluctuations include: -2.0 (April 2019); -1.6 (June); +.9 (July); +1.2 (August); +2.0 (October); -.5 (November); +.5 (December); -1.9 (“Holiday” 2019); +1.5 (January 2020); +.6 (February); and +.8 (March).

Austin Music Formats – Off three-tenths via three down or flat moves in a row (1.2 – 1.0 – 1.0 – .9, 6+), Township Media triple A KTSN logs a half-share gain to 1.4 (6+). In addition to having its best 6+-stat since May 2019 (1.4, as well), “Sun Radio” cracks the top twenty (#19). After forfeiting approximately 47% (-5.5) of its 6+ AQH share in January/February (11.8 – 6.7 – 6.3, 6+), Entercom-owned adult contemporary KKMJ “Majic 95.5 Better Music for a Better Workday” picks up one-tenth to 6.4 (6+) and continues in third-place. KKMJ was a combined +6.7 in December/“Holiday” 2019 (5.1 – 6.3 – 11.8, 6+) and had a “Holiday” 2019-only stay at #1. In “Holiday” 2019, “Majic” became the first Austin station to record double-digits (11.8, 6+) since it did so in “Holiday” 2017 (12.4). Sinclair Telecable’s similarly-formatted KGSR “Star 93.3” follows “Holiday” 2019’s increase of seven-tenths (2.0 – 2.7, 6+) with three downturns in a row for a -1.0 (2.7 – 2.6 – 2.1 – 1.7, #15 to #17, 6+). A combined +.2 in January/February (5.0 – 5.0 – 5.2, 6+), Crista Ministries contemporary Christian KFMK “Spirit 105.9” craters by -1.9 to 3.3 (6+) and fades from the top ten (#4 to #13). It is the first time KFMK is below a four-share (6+) since July 2019 (3.1). Surrendering in full the +1.1 in gained in January/February (3.5 – 4.0 – 4.6, 6+) with a March -1.1 to 3.5 (6+), Sinclair Telecable-owned KLBJ-FM “93.7 The Rock of Austin” exits the top ten (#7 to #11). Co-owned regional Mexican KLZT “107.1 La Z” continues an alternating up/down pattern that began last August and includes its current loss of eight-tenths (4.3 – 5.3 – 4.8 – 4.9 – 4.8 – 5.0 – 4.7 – 4.8 – 4.0, sixth to seventh, 6+). Following a January/February +1.0 (4.2 – 4.8 – 5.2, 6+), iHeartMedia’s KVET-FM “98.1 The Austin Texas Original” returns 60% of the increase (4.6, -.6, fourth to fifth, 6+). Its January +.6 halted three drops in a row that led to an overall -1.2 (5.5 – 5.3 – 5.2 – 4.2, 6+). Co-owned KASE “Austin’s #1 For New Country” is down three-tenths in February/March (3.7 – 3.6 – 3.4, 6+) and repeats at #12. Up one-tenth in January, KASE was -.9 (November); +.9 (December); and -1.5 (“Holiday” 2019). Elsewhere in the country format, Genuine Austin Radio-owned KOKE-FM “Austin’s Country Alternative” regains the one-tenth it lost in February (1.3 – 1.2- 1.3, #22 to #21, 6+).

In addition to being +1.1 in three straight spikes (6.0 – 6.6 – 6.8 – 7.1, 6+), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill news/talk WUNC “91.5 North Carolina Public Radio” progresses from fourth to second.

Raleigh Music Formats – The market’s (6+) country share swells by +2.4, with the bulk of that increase coming from Curtis Media Group-owned WQDR-FM. “Today’s Best Country 94.7 QDR” answers February’s loss of six-tenths (5.8 – 5.2, 6+) with a whopping +1.9 to 7.1 (seventh to second, 6+). Unlisted in January, WQDR-FM was previously a collective -1.9 through five successive decreases (6.8 – 6.5 – 6.3 – 5.8 – 5.2 – 4.9, 6+). This (7.1) is its best 6+-stat since June (7.3). Meanwhile, iHeartMedia’s WNCB “B-93.9 #1 For New Country” records its fourth sweep in a row without a loss for a net gain of seven-tenths (2.9 – 3.1 – 3.1 – 3.1 – 3.6, #13 to #12, 6+) and has its highest 6+-figure (3.6) since October (4.1). The internet stream of WQDR-FM was unlisted in January; reappeared in February with a .5 (#21, 6+); and is unlisted in March. Having dropped one-half share in February to 5.4 (6+), iHeartMedia-owned WRDU answers with a March +.8 (6.2, steady at #6, 6+); “100.7 Raleigh’s Classic Rock” was a combined +.8 in “Holiday” 2019/January 2020 (5.1 – 5.6 – 5.9, 6+). Unlisted in January and February, Curtis Media Group regional Mexican WYMY “La Ley 101.1” returns with a 1.4 (#17, 6+). Setting the pace the third time in a row, Radio One urban AC WFXC “Foxy – Today’s R&B and Classic Soul” is +2.0 via three straight upticks (7.2 – 8.7 – 8.9 – 9.2, 6+). After four straight sweeps on top, WFXC shifted to the runner-up slot in “Holiday” 2019. “Foxy” spent 12 consecutive survey periods at #1; had an August-only stay at #2; and returned to #1 in September. January 2019’s +1.1 took WFXC to 11.0, its highest 6+-stat in the PPM-era. An overall -2.5 in four straight downturns (7.5 – 6.8 – 6.3 – 5.1 – 5.0, 6+), urban contemporary cluster-mate WQOK “K-97.5” ends the slide with a +.4 to 5.4 (ninth to seventh, 6+). Faltering by nine-tenths each are Capitol Broadcasting adult contemporary WRAL “Mix 101.5 – The Variety That Makes You Feel Good” (6.6, third to fifth, 6+) and Curtis Media Group CHR WPLW-FM “Pulse FM” (#10 to #13). “Mix” was up one-tenth in February; -1.7 (January); +2.2 (“Holiday” 2019); and a combined -.8 in November/December. In five straight sweeps without an increase, “Pulse” is a collective -1.8 (5.2 – 5.1 – 4.4 – 4.4 – 4.3 – 3.4, 6+). As a result of four consecutive down or flat trends, iHeartMedia Greensboro adult contemporary WMAG is -1.7 (2.2 – 1.9 – .5 – .5 – .5, #21 to #22, 6+).

An overall +1.6 through three straight improvements (3.7 – 4.6 – 4.8 – 5.3 , 6+), Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Broadcasting news/talk WFYI progresses from eighth to seventh with its best 6+-stat since August (5.3, as well).

Spoken-Word Formats – Down one-tenth in February (4.8 – 4.7, 6+), Cumulus Media’s WWTN bounces back with a gain of six-tenths to 5.3 (seventh to sixth, 6+). “Super Talk 99.7” was -.7 (December/“Holiday” 2019) and then +.7 (January 2020). Trending 2.0 – 2.3 – 2.2 – 2.3 (“Holiday” 2019 – January – February – March, 6+), iHeartMedia’s WLAC “Talk Radio 1510” pushes up from #17 to #16. When WLAC logged a 2.4 (6+) in December, it marked the first time the station reached the two-share level since October 2015 (2.0).